Oh here we go again. Another star released in the NRL. Another player training with his buddies one day, up and gone the next. Quite literally, pulling on an opposition club’s jersey the next day.

This is the space where we would usually type out a few lines and get the quotes from the new club and the incoming player.

But not this time.

This is the final straw.

Earlier on Thursday, 2014 Champions South Sydney, released their findings from the prescription drugs scandal that almost took the lives of Kangaroos centre Dylan Walker and rising outside back Aaron Gray.

Souths found that Walker and Gray went out of their way to gain additional pain-killing medication from their own GPs on the same day they overdosed. At the end of the day they willfully put the respect of their club and the NRL on the line.

The ensuing penalties were really a slap on the wrist and both Walker and Gray should have been grateful to the Rabbitohs.

“We consulted some of the top sporting bodies and organisations in Australia,” Souths CEO John Lee began.

“Including the Australian Institute of Sport, to ensure that our policy is contemporary, practical and focuses on the wellbeing of our players.”

That right there should have been the end of it.

But nothing is quite what it seems. According to media reports, Souths coach Michael Maguire knew on Tuesday that Walker was going. On Wednesday, the players knew. On Thursday, the club announces it’s only fining Walker. If you know anything about anything you’d know that this timeline is arse backwards.

Let’s put it this way. Manly knew he was coming since Burgess came back and the Rabbitohs and Walker knew it too.

Walker’s lawyer said in a statement sent to Channel Nine that the young centre “has been treated like a piece of meat in the face of serious injury.”

That is contrary to the statement released by the Rabbitohs on Thursday afternoon.

Then in a statement released at 5pm, Souths said they had released Walker from the final year of his contract after a request was made earlier in the month.

“We wish Dylan all the very best in pursuing the next phase of his career,” Maguire said.

“I have known Dylan since he was 17 years of age, we have had some great times together and he has many good attributes.”

“I spoke to Dylan about staying, however I appreciate his desire to secure his long-term playing future.”

His long-term playing future?

He’s 21!

It’s the throwaway line of throwaway lines.

And let’s not forget that favourite Sam Burgess is back in town after pulling out of his contract with Bath rugby in England after originally not seeing out his first deal with the Rabbitohs.

Sliding doors, the butterfly effect, call it what you want but we the fans are the ones scratching our heads and pulling out our hair again.

Manly now have Walker to go with another walker in Martin Taupau, Souths have Burgess back and all players get a big chunk of cash.

But us fans?

Integrity?

Forget about that.

@woodward_curtis